1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to low-calorie beverage compositions comprising sucralose, acesulfame-K, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate. This invention also relates to methods of improving the taste attributes of low-calorie beverages by incorporating sucralose, acesulfame-K, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate therein.
2. Related Background Art
Generally, when sugar is replaced with artificial sweeteners in the formulation of low-calorie beverages, sweetness character and other taste attributes are significantly altered. Compared to sugar-sweetened beverages, low-calorie beverages are typically described as xe2x80x9cthin in mouthfeelxe2x80x9d, lacking xe2x80x9cup-front sweetnessxe2x80x9d and exhibiting a xe2x80x9cmetallic, bitter, and lingering sweet aftertastexe2x80x9d. These attributes are often used to describe the xe2x80x9cdietxe2x80x9d taste profile of low-calorie beverages. Currently, no single artificial sweetener delivers the sensory properties of sugar.
It is known that low-calorie beverages containing blends of artificial sweeteners have less xe2x80x9cdietxe2x80x9d taste than those formulated with a single sweetener. While blending helps to improve the taste profile of artificial sweeteners, this alone is not sufficient to bridge the taste gap between low-calorie and full-calorie beverages.
German Patent DE 33 31 517 broadly relates to acesulfame-containing preparations with improved taste. While combination with other sweeteners is contemplated therein, the patent is directed to the use of acesulfame-K as the primary sweetener; there is no disclosure related to sucralose. The patent discloses the use of soluble salts of inorganic acids, including calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate, in combination with acesulfame-K compositions in order to make the xe2x80x9ctaste betterxe2x80x9d and to obtain products xe2x80x9csuperior in tastexe2x80x9d. The patent also discloses the use of a mixture of salts of inorganic acids. The German patent enumerates a long list of possible additives for acesulfame-K compositions, giving no guidance with respect to what additives will work best or what effects can be achieved. The only calcium and potassium salts exemplified by the German patent are tricalcium phosphate and potassium polyphosphate, and those salts are not exemplified in combination with one another.
The present invention is directed to low-calorie compositions comprising sucralose and acesulfame-K sweeteners and calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate metal salts.
This invention is also directed to a method of improving the taste attributes of a low-calorie beverage by incorporating into the beverage a blend of sweeteners comprising sucralose and acesulfame-K and a blend of metal salts comprising calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate.
According to the present invention, a selected blend of metal salts modifies the overall sweetness, aftertaste duration, mouthfeel and sucrose-like quality of low-calorie beverages sweetened with a blend of sucralose and acesulfame-K. This taste modification brings the profile closer to the taste of a sugar-sweetened beverage and makes the blend of sucralose and acesulfame-K a potentially effective sweetener system for low-calorie beverages.
Three salts that individually improved the sweetness profile of a blend of sucralose and acesulfame-K were identified and subsequently blended for maximum synergy to optimize their effects. The mixture of salts having maximal positive impact on sweetness quality consists of calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate.
Without being bound to theory, divalent cations such as calcium are believed to influence sweetness receptors located on the tongue surface and subsequently the subcellular ion channels. Other salts such as potassium salts may bind onto the bitter receptors, thus promoting cleaner sweetness response.
Thus, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to low-calorie beverage compositions comprising sucralose and acesulfame-K sweeteners and calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate metal salts. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9clow-calorie beverage compositionxe2x80x9d refers to cola, orange, lemon, lime, root beer and other flavored beverage compositions in which sugar has been partially or completely replaced with one or more artificial sweeteners.
Sucralose (1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside) is a known artificial sweetener. Sucralose suitable for use in the present invention may be obtained in any conventional manner.
Typically sucralose is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.01% to about 0.03% by weight, based on finished beverage weight (about 100 to 300 ppm).
Acesulfame-K (6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazine-4[3H]-one 2,2-dioxide potassium salt) is a known artificial sweetener, approximately 200 times as sweet as sucrose. Acesulfame-K suitable for use in the present invention may be obtained in any conventional manner.
Typically acesulfame-K is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.004% to about 0.008% by weight, based on finished beverage weight (about 40 to 80 ppm).
The metal salts calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate are well known in the art and may be obtained in any conventional manner for use in the present invention.
Typically calcium phosphate is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.004% to about 0.03% by weight, based on finished beverage weight (about 40 to 300 ppm), while calcium sulfate is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.0002% to about 0.004% by weight (about 2 to 40 ppm), based on finished beverage weight. Generally potassium sulfate is present in the low-calorie beverage compositions of the present invention in an amount from 0.0002% to about 0.004% by weight (about 2 to 40 ppm), based on finished beverage weight.
The mixture of salts having maximal positive impact on sweetness quality consists of calcium phosphate (80%), calcium sulfate (10%) and potassium sulfate (10%). Such a blend provides improvement of overall sweetness, while reducing sweetness linger and increasing mouthfeel and sucrose quality.
When a blend of metal salts according to the present invention is used at 180+/xe2x88x9210 ppm in low-calorie beverage compositions containing blends of sucralose and acesulfame-K, the taste profile of the formulation is maximally positively impacted. Significantly higher use levels of the selected salts yield an undesirable salty taste, while significantly lower levels provide no significant taste modification benefit.
All of the above concentration ranges are based upon finished beverage weight. A finished beverage, according to the present invention, may comprise any conventional beverage ingredient, in addition to the sucralose, acesulfame-K and metal salt blend. Such beverage ingredients include, without limitation, flavors, acids, colors, water, buffers, and preservatives. Amounts of such ingredients will vary depending upon the type of beverage.
The present invention is also directed to a method of improving the taste attributes of a low-calorie beverage by incorporating into the beverage sucralose and acesulfame-K sweeteners and calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate metal salts. In particular, overall sweetness intensity is improved, aftertaste duration is decreased, mouthfeel is increased and sucrose quality is increased.